local artists, determined to give them hometownrecognition. And he delights in seeing how peopleinteract with the art. “Art is a true improvement anda wonderful addition to any real estate development.Because we are doing this in the Arts District, it hasa lot deeper meaning than anything we have donebefore.”Another part of the property, The TexasSculpture Walk, will feature 10 to 15 works byTexas artists. James Surls, Jesus Moroles, and JosephHavel are among the better-known of the group.Others, such as local sculptor Deborah Ballardand mosaic artist Sonia King, will also be given aplace of prominence. Patricia Meadows, a fixtureof the Dallas art world and friend to Hall, servesas the curator for The Walk, which will span RossAvenue to Flora Street. This 70’ x 340’ strip willdivide the office building from the residential side.In addition, there will be a half-acre public park,complete with outdoor seating and water features.OJB, the Office of James Burnett/Houston, isdesigning the landscaping.

However, the sculpture is not meant to blend
into the landscape. Hall is a firm believer in educating
the public about the art and the artists in all of his
building projects. There is talk of conducting tours
of The Walk for school-age children and adults as
well as having a Smartphone app that will provide
visitors with information about the work they are
seeing.

And then there is the work in the building itself.
Local sculptor Eliseo, who has worked with Hall
previously, says he was commissioned “to do
something with a Texas flair.” Beyond that, he
was given full artistic freedom. His preliminary
sketch, accepted as is, has been translated onto 24
carved limestone panels, measuring 16’x 24’. This
will be his fourth piece for the family and their
third commission with the artist. He describes Hall
as a dream client, saying, “It was the friendliest
negotiation I’ve ever done.” The work will be
prominently placed to greet visitors as they enter the
main building.

In addition to his avid interest in art, Hall is also
determined to lessen his carbon footprint. The
office building has been pre-certified as a LEED
Gold building. There will be battery-charging
stations for electric vehicles (he owns two), as well
as a water collection system in which rainwater
will be collected and used for landscaping. He
says, “There is not good education for developers
regarding water conservation. There needs to be
more understanding” of this pressing environmental
issue.

Between its commitment to environmental
concerns and its contribution to the local arts, Hall
Arts embodies a new Dallas, a city primed for the
21st century. It will be a beacon to locals and visitors,
bringing to Downtown Hall’s vision of critical mass.